Medical Physics

Overview

Graduates of Medical Physics at the University of Wisconsin Madison are prepared for teaching and/or research positions in universities, national laboratories, or in the medical and nuclear technology industries. Graduates are also prepared for admission into medical physics residency programs to become board eligible for clinical medical physics positions.

Medical physicists may participate professionally in the treatment of patients, in advanced medical imaging and diagnostic procedures, or in related areas of research and teaching.  Health physicists may operate radiation protection programs at nuclear industrial facilities, hospitals, or laboratories, or may perform research on methods of measuring ionizing radiations (i.e., dosimetry).

A unique quality of the medical physics program is the broad range of expertise and research interests of the faculty.  Students receive training in diagnostic x-ray physics, x-ray computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy, nuclear medicine and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, biomagnetism, medical ultrasound, elastography, radiation dosimetry, radiation treatment planning, and radiobiology.

Learning Outcomes

• Articulates, critiques, and/or elaborates theories, research methods, and approaches to inquiry or schools of practice in the field of medical physics.

• Identifies sources and assembles evidence pertaining to questions or challenges in the field of medical physics.

• Selects and/or utilizes the most appropriate methodologies and practices.

• Evaluates and/or synthesizes information pertaining to questions or challenges in the field of medical physics.

• Communicates clearly in both oral and written formats.

• Fosters ethical and professional conduct.